SWIMMING AND DIVING
The Miami swimming team competed at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville on Friday. The College of Charleston slipped by the men’s team, 93-89, while the UM women posted victories over North Florida, 129-97, and the College of Charleston, 132-62. Miami’s Manon Van Rooijen continued her impressive sophomore season by winning the women’s 200-yard medley (2:07.25) and the 100-yard backstroke (59.42). Her performance in the 100-yard back was just 1.84 seconds short of the Miami school record set by Amy Bosseler (57.58). Junior Elaine Schwartz won the 1000-yard freestyle (10:33.71). In the relay events, the Miami women won the 200-yard freestyle (1:39.59) and 200-yard medley (1:50.04). For the Miami men’s swim team, senior Wesley Stoddard took first in the 1000-yard freestyle (10:21.44) and 500-yard freestyle (4:49.89) while finishing second in the 200-yard medley (1:58.96). The Hurricanes next travel to Boca Raton to face Florida Atlantic on Feb. 2.
TRACK & FIELD
All-American Kareen Clarke won the triple jump with a leap of 12.91 meters (42-04.25), and women’s 4×400-meter relay finished first with a time of 3:43.30 to lead the University of Miami at the Carolina Elite Invitational in Chapel Hill, NC. Clarke, a three-time All-American and defending BIG EAST Champion, wins for the second consecutive week. Clarke won the triple jump last weekend at the Florida Intercollegiate. Clarke currently ranks No. 1 in the nation in the event. The women’s 4×400-meter relay of senior Wylleshia Myrick, junior Saraque Whittaker, senior Jenise Winston and junior Jamillah Wade provisionally qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, March 8-9, in Fayetteville, AR. In the first day of competition, freshman Lauryn Williams won the 60-meters with a school-record time of 7.35 at the Tarheel Elite Invitational. Williams, who established a school-record in winning the 55-meters last weekend at the Florida Intercollegiate, is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 60-meters. Her winning time is the fastest in the nation this year and provisionally qualifies her for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
FOOTBALL
Hurricanes head coach Larry Coker won the Bear Bryant Award on Thursday night as the NCAA football coach of the year. In his first year, the 53-year-old led the Hurricanes to the national title. Coker is the first rookie coach to win a national title since Michigan’s Bennie Oosterbaan did it back in 1948. No rookie coach had won the Bryant award since Army’s Tom Cahill in 1966. Coker beat out Mike Bellotti of No. 2 Oregon, Gary Barnett of Colorado, Ralph Friedgen of Maryland, Frank Solich of Nebraska, Ron Turner of Illinois and Nick Saban of LSU. The award was presented by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
season.